The Not so Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama
by Shinigami's Lullaby
Summary: A series of office oneshots in which Naru and Mai inadvertently realize they have feelings for each other. And then there's the tea spills, sleep deprivation, brain damage videos, mistletoe and, of course, Facebook...NM
1. Point Proven

**Disclaimer: **Ghost Hunt isn't mine.

* * *

**The Not so Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama**

_Well today I say sweet things  
but tomorrow,  
I'll be making up excuses  
for my actions because it's been so long  
since I've been in love,  
that special kind of feeling.  
Guess my best excuse,  
I'm on the wagon again._

_-Green Day's "On the Wagon_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter One: Point Proven**

"Naru, do you ever sleep?" worried Mai, after seeing her boss in the same clothes as the day before for the umpteenth time.

"Does it look like it?" he questioned, rubbing his chin before returning to his files, waving Mai away with his right hand. Was that…stubble? His cheerful assistant sighed, closed the door behind her, and walked over to SPR's kitchenette. She then set about preparing him tea, with maximum caffeine of course.

"Tea, Mai!" Naru called from his office, just as Mai lifted the screeching kettle off the stove. She grinned at his impatience, winced at the ragged sound of his voice, and bit her lip as she picked up the too-hot kettle without a cloth between her palm and the handle.

"Ouch!" she muttered, dropping the kettle to the tiled floor. Tea flew everywhere as the offending instrument burst on the floor. Some of the scalding liquid splashed Mai's legs. "Ah, ah, OW!" she cried, clutching her now burning legs in pain.

Seconds later, Naru burst from his office, responding to her cry, and ran to Mai, who was now sobbing hysterically on the floor. He looked at the steaming kettle rolling aimlessly across the floor away from Mai's tea soaked legs and put two and two together.

"N-naru," Mai whimpered, "it hurts!"

"I know, I know. Stay calm, alright?" Naru said softly, as he swiftly knelt to the floor and picked Mai up, cradling her to his chest. He set her on the kitchen counter with her red legs in the sink, and turned the faucet on. Mai sighed as he rubbed her smarting legs with the gold water.

"Phew…" Mai wiped sweat from her brow as her legs returned from lobster red to a semi-normal, albeit slightly splotchy, color. "That could have been painful…"

"You idiot!" Naru fumed, exhaustion forgotten, "What were you _doing_?"

"It was hot." His assistant explained this simply, as if the heat in itself was enough to explain her dangerous actions.

"And so am I! You could have seriously injured yourself!"

"Wow," Mai looked up wonderingly at Naru, "You really _are_ a narcissist."

"...and your point is?"

"Proven."

"Can I have my tea now?" Naru backed away as Mai swung her dripping legs over the kitchen counter. She smiled as he tossed her a towel.

"Don't you mean to say 'may I please have my tea now?'" The brunette teased as she dried off her legs and then set about mopping the floor. Naru didn't respond, but simple continued to watch as Mai's brown hair escaped from the barrettes she had attempted to pin it back with. He yawned and leaned against the kitchen counter, wishing he'd taken a break from work to sleep last night.

"Tired?" Mai asked, looking up at the circles under Naru's eyes. "Okay, stupid question. But still, why don't you just take a break?"

"I don't have time. I'm saving lives here, Mai."

The assistant snorted, "Lives Naru? I think you're exaggerating."

"I don't think you realize how serious I am. Malevolent spirits don't sleep, Mai. They don't stop torturing innocent victims just because I want to take a break. As I said before, I don't have time to sleep."

Mai smiled faintly, only Naru would consider working for SPR a lifesaving job. "Why don't you just become a doctor, Naru?"

She could have sworn he shivered, "I don't like blood."

"You're afraid of blood?" Mai reigned in her need to laugh, suddenly mindful of hurting his feelings.

"Yes." Naru replied curtly, "May I have my tea now?"

"Of course," His assistant handed him a steaming cup of tea, fresh from the extra kettle she'd set on the stove minutes before. Naru smiled: nobody, not even his mother, made better tea.

"Thank you." Naru began to head back to his office but turned at the sound of his assistant's voice.

"Get some sleep tonight."

Mai could have sworn he smiled at her. "Alright, Mai."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! This is going to be a series of workplace happenings that encourage a budding romance between Naru and Mai. It'll have a bit of an interwoven storyline, but nothing too complicated. Mostly fluff! Basically, this is the result of my procrastination...anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Thoughts, ideas, corrections? I want them all! Revised September 27, 2009.

~SL~


	2. Brain Damage

**Disclaimer: **Ghost Hunt isn't mine.

* * *

**The Not so Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama**

_With every breath that I'm worth here on Earth  
I'm sending all my love to you.  
So if you dare to second guess you can rest assured  
that all my love's for you._

- _Green Day's "Last Night on Earth"_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter Two: Brain Damage**

Mai frowned at the unorganized stack of papers splayed across the floor and once again cursed her boss. She couldn't for the life of her understand how someone who liked the office kept as tidy as it was could possibly be such a slob with paperwork. He always handed his assistants the files he was finished with, expecting them to magically charm the papers back into the right order. Most of them weren't even numbered!

Sometimes the brunette had to wonder if he tortured her on purpose, or if some part of him actually hated her?

As Mai deliberated over this dilemma, Naru was currently throwing his version of a tantrum. His eye twitched, a signature indication to his annoyance, and then he threw a stack of files at a very innocent and open door. How did the authors of these files expect him to read this handwriting? His own was a neat, cursive script- thus his inability to decipher the chicken scratch symbols some –obviously delusional- people called letters.

Lin, who had ducked as the files flew over his head and out Naru's office's open door, chuckled. "Stressed out?" he asked in his usual low monotone.

"What do you think? Get out and take those files with you. I need to think."

And, as usual, Lin quietly gathered the papers off the floor and shut Naru's door behind him.

"Hey, Lin?" Mai looked up from her spot on the floor. "Do you know how Naru gets these files so mixed up?"

"He throws them at the door…" Lin answered quietly.

"Really?" Mai snickered, "We should play a joke on him, don't you think? I mean, it's totally unfair for him to expect us to pick up after him, right? He's not a little kid..."

"I'm not accepting the blame for this, but…" Lin bent down to whisper in Mai's ear.

* * *

Naru sighed and looked down at the new set of files Mai had just handed him. This really did look like gibberish. "Baekyr kadlys awiend azkxe?" he mused aloud. "What does that mean?" He frowned and rubbed his head, maybe sleep deprivation was finally catching up with him?

Unbeknownst to him, a video camera's red 'on' light was flickering from a camouflaged spot on his bookshelf.

He stared at the files for a bit longer and then decided he needed tea before doing anything else. "Mai?" he called through the door. Hearing no answer, he stood, stretched, and headed to SPR's kitchenette.

And then tripped, falling flat on his face. "..." He muttered obscenities as he heaved himself back up and rubbed his face tiredly. "Sleep deprivation…" Naru mused. Another red light blinked from a nearby windowsill.

"Hey, Naru. I never asked you before, but you aren't allergic to anything are you? I don't want to make you sick…" Mai asked after he had requested a cup of tea.

"Just cayenne pepper. I don't see why that matters; you don't put pepper in anything you cook here." Naru leaned against his usual spot on the counter and slipped to the floor. He pulled himself up and felt the counter, which was slick.

"You okay? I just waxed the counter and cabinets, so…" Mai smiled at the dark look on Naru's face as she bustled about the kitchen.

"Why in the world did you wax the cabinets? They're metal." Naru growled.

"Boredom?" she offered him a cup of tea, which he took gratefully.

"Thank you, Mai." Naru took a sip of the liquid and frowned down at his cup. "Did you put something weird in here? It doesn't taste like it usually do-" he began before lapsing into a coughing/sneezing fit.

"Just cayenne pepper. You just said you liked it, right?"

"No, you idiot!" Naru choked out, "I said I was allergic to it."'

"Oops, sorry." Mai handed him a glass of water. "Feel better," she smiled before grabbing a video camera and walking to Lin's office.

She stepped inside, and handed the film to the dark haired Chinese man, "Here, have fun!" the brunette winked.

* * *

Naru rubbed his still splotchy face and sighed. He had gotten absolutely nothing done today; and it was all Mai's fault.

"Mai!" he roared, storming out of his office, ready for a fight. He stopped dead in his tracks. "What is all this?" he asked, motioning to the projector, sheet, and presence of all of SPR's members, excluding Madoka and Yasuhara.

"I'm showing the movie I made today!" Mai chirped, "Here, have a seat, I think you'll like it!"

"…Fine." Masako smiled at his annoyed tone of voice as John edged away from Takigawa, who was pinching Ayako in the side. Naru sank into an armchair as Mai clicked the 'play' button.

The movie's title scrolled across the screen, "Why I Think Naru has Brain Damage." Takigawa snickered, and Mai smiled as Naru's hands clenched into fists at his side. The title was followed by a flurry of snapshots from the day: Naru speaking gibberish, falling flat on his face, sliding down the cabinets and intermittently sneezing and coughing uncontrollably.

"…MAI TANIYAMA!"

They say that immature boys make fun of girls simply because they have crushes on them. Naru had to wonder, did that statement work the other way around and this was Mai's roundabout way of showing that she liked him? Then again, maybe he was thinking too highly of himself…

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you for reading, I'd love feedback, so please review! Revised September 27, 2009.

~SL~


	3. A Girl's Gotta Eat

**Disclaimer: **Ghost Hunt isn't mine.

* * *

**The Not so Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama**

_Don't want to have you hanging,  
around me like a leech.  
I think you're just a problem,  
so stay the hell away from me because I don't believe in you.  
And I wanna sit here all my life alone.  
This may sound a little rough,  
don't wanna fall in love._

_-Green Day's 'Don't Wanna Fall in Love."_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter Three: A Girl's Gotta Eat**

"Mai. Tea." Naru rubbed his aching temples; he had stayed up all night working on SPR's new case, but had gotten nowhere. Damn sleep deprivation. His savior, tea, was the only thing that could possibly bring him back from the brink of exhaustion. Thank god for Mai and his tea.

Across the office, the mentioned brunette was snickering. It really _was_ unhealthy - Naru's seeming fixation, or obsession with tea. Maybe it was time he gave it up for good. Today would turn out interestingly after all...

**9:32:47**

Naru sighed, where was his tea? After all, he had requested a cup over a half hour ago. He called through his office's thin door, "Mai, where's my tea?" only to hear a grunt in return. "Mai?"

"I'm in the middle of something, Naru. Ask Lin." The black haired teen grimaced. Lin had, well, issues when it came to tea. There was absolutely no way he would ever ask the Chinese man to make tea again.

_"What do you mean you don't put cayenne pepper and garlic in tea?" Lin asked his boss, confused._

_"G-g-cough. Eeechu! OUT!" A now hives covered Naru screeched. He was unfortunately allergic to garlic as well as cayenne pepper._

Naru shivered inadvertently.

**10:46:24**

"Mai?" Naru was sweating by now. He absolutely refused to make his own tea. If this was some twisted kind of power struggle, Mai was going to get it.

"Yes, darling?" She replied from the other room.

"I need my tea."

The brunette giggled, she was getting to him more than she had expected. She looked down at the TV remote in her lap and then replied, "But my favorite show is on! Why don't you go get it yourself? Lin's offer still stands, too."

Naru pinched the bridge of his nose, "Now, Mai."

"When my show's over!" Mai smirked, she was watching a 48 hour Pokemon special.

"...fine." The agitated teen growled.

**13:12:04**

"Naru, I'm going out to pick up some lunch, what would you like?" Mai heaved herself up from the floor, her stomach was growling.

Her boss stormed out of his office, face red, eyes bloodshot. "Tea." he ground out. "I though you were watching your show."

"A girl's gotta eat!"

"MAI!" Naru roared.

"Okay, okay, I'm going!"

**14:29:32**

"I'm ba-ack!" Mai sung, bags of groceries in hand.

"Mai, what took you so long?" Naru jumped from his seat on the floor, he had been positioned just inside SPR's front door. "And where's all the tea? I looked all over." he puzzled.

"Oh, that old stuff? I threw it out."

"You....threw it out? Why?"

"It was taking up unnecessary space!" Mai chuckled at the look on Naru's face and then set about putting away all of the groceries.

"Fine. Did you get me my tea?"

"Nope." She grinned and added a 'sorry!' as an afterthought.

Naru slumped back to the ground, but looked up as Mai threw something green at him.

"But I did get you a salad!"

**16:23:56**

_This is bad..._Naru could feel his eyes slipping shut. It had taken absolutely all of his willpower to remain awake for as long as he had. After all, he had stayed up all night the day before. _Damn..._he could feel himself slipping away. _This is war! _he declared weakly, before resting his head down onto his desk, atop forgotten files. _Just after...this...na........._

**18:51:21**

Mai was slightly worried; she hadn't heard any complaints from Naru for hours. He wasn't dead, was he? _Oh my god, what have I done! _Her brown eyes widened, _I've killed Naru! _She jumped from her seat in front of the TV, which was still playing a Pokemon movie, and sprinted across the office to Lin.

"Lin!" she whisper-screamed. Something about the Chinese man intimidated her into silence at times, thus the whispering, "I've killed Naru!"

"...good for you..." Lin's typing never ceased.

"This is bad!" she screamed (in a whisper), before running to Naru's office.

_NARU!_ she thought, seeing his prone body and pale face pressed against his desk. _I'm sorry! I'll stop teasing you! Don't die! You're too importa- wait. Important? But he's just a bastard._..Mai squared his shoulders, _He's my bastard, you can't have him God! Or the, um...devil? NARU!_

She rushed to his side, intent on giving him CPR, until she realized that he was smiling. Mai looked closer and realized that his chest was rising and falling lightly. _Is he in a coma!? Oh, wait, he's sleeping!_

And so he was, she smiled. Naru looked rather defenseless as he slept. _Eew, what am I thinking? _Mai shook the thoughts from her head. She didn't care about Naru like that. _Well, at least he's sleeping. Maybe the tea deprivation was a good thing..._Mai smiled, gently swept a lock of black hair from her boss's slightly pale face, and then closed his door softly behind herself.

"It's okay, Lin!" she shouted across the office, "Naru's just asleep!"

Two mere feet away, behind a flimsy, fake wood door, the black haired teen stirred at the loud noise..."Not anymore," he groaned, rubbing his still aching temples. "Mai. Tea!'

_Damn..._

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note: **Thank you for reading this far, I hope you liked it! Revised September 27, 2009.

~SL~


	4. Improvisation

**Disclaimer: **Ghost Hunt isn't mine...

* * *

**The Not so Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama**

_I'm all busted up  
Broken bones and nasty cuts  
Accidents will happen  
But this time I can't get up.  
She comes to check on me  
Making sure I'm on my knees  
After all she's the one  
Who put me in this state.  
_

_Is she ultra-violent?  
Is she disturbed?  
I better tell her that I love her  
Before she does it all over again  
Oh god she's killing me!  
-Green Day's 'Pulling Teeth'  
_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 4: Improvisation**

Naru groaned and rubbed his temples, before launching into a mini-tirade. "Mai, I've told you a hundred times before, the lounge is not your own personal social club. Get to work! What are you doing, anyway?"

The brunette pouted from her awkward position straddling the back of a black leather sofa. Ayako and Takigawa looked up from their seats on the floor as Masako sniffed daintily into the folds of her kimono and John sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Can't you tell, Naru?" Mai questioned, "We're playing an improvisation game!"

"Improvisation?" Naru asked. _Is this another one of those weird American games?_

"Yeah! You should come play with us; it's really, really easy!" Mai swung her legs over the back of the couch and grabbed Naru's arm, towing him into the game space. "Basically, one person starts a scene with a simple action, and a bunch of other people join in. It's kind of like a play, but the person last person to jump into a scene loses."

"Uh…" Naru rarely found himself at a loss for words, but this apparently proved to be one of the aforementioned moments.

"Okay, I'll start!" Mai quipped, pushing everyone down onto the couches and standing in a clear space. She began tapping her foot, looking annoyed. She pulled out an imaginary cell-phone. "Mom, where _are_ you!? I called your forty minutes ago! Why haven't you come to pick me up yet!?"

Ayako jumped up and picked up another imaginary phone. She adopted a furtive demeanor and nervous voice. "Um…well…I wasn't…umm….shopping. Or anything like that. No siree. No shopping for me!"

"Mom….." Mai grimaced. "Whatever, just come pick me up." A couple seconds later, she pretended to call back, "MOM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING! WHERE ARE YOU!?"

Ayako picked up the phone and mimed painting her fingernails. "Sorry sweetie, something important came up for work, I'll be there soon!"

"You better!" Mai hung up her phone and tapped her foot for a couple seconds, Ayako hadn't budged. She dialed again, "Sarah, can you come pick me up? My mother's being really stupid right now…"

Naru still wasn't very sure what was going on; Takigawa nudged him, "This is where you can go in," he grinned, "Mai's looking for a ride." The monk pushed his boss up. Naru hesitantly walked towards Mai.

"Do you…need a… ride?"

Mai looked as if she was about to die. Ayako smothered a grin as Mai took a step back, "Sarah!" she gazed up at Naru in an odd mixture of confusion and disgust, "What happened to _you_!?"

At this point in time, Naru realized that he had just replied to the name Sarah, and as a member of the male gender, there was something inherently….wrong about that.

SPR's members began to laugh, including Lin, who had taken a seat earlier and had been watching the unfolding spectacle with mounting amusement.

Mai began wiping tears from her eyes as she clutched her sides, "That was so funny, Naru- or should I say, Sarah!" She once again dissolved into giggles. Naru groaned; she was never going to let this go.

And, unfortunately for him, she never did. For weeks after, everything from his personal mail to job applications were addressed to 'Sarah Shibuya.' Naru groaned, so much for nice, quiet, peaceful morning…

* * *

**A/N: **First of all, I'd like to apologize for the months long gap between this chapter and the last. And then I'd like to apologize for the fact that this is a really, really short chapter. My muse is kind of dying :P But a mini chapter is better than no chapter at all, right? Please review and resurrect my muse!

(Speaking of resurrected, the Golden List of past reviewers is back!) Golden List: Perfect-Goddess, Kafira-chan, Katie-luvs-mcr, Angelictroublemaker, Luna-moongoddess, Kaydreams, Ayjah, Zacheria, Miss Koneko, Angelic Kitsune, Crazylittlecheezer, Twilight Journey, FallenRaindrops, Azamiko, Emina105

Thank you, everyone! Please review :)

~SL~


	5. Techie

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gakuen Alice. Story inspired by Tech Savvy by Tearless Sonnet and Facebook Galore by Gabbeh

* * *

**The Not So Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama**

_Hey hey it's the static age  
Well this is how the West was won  
Hey hey it's the static age millenium..._

_I can't see a thing on the video  
I can't hear a sound on the radio  
In sterio in the static age._

_-Green Day's 'The Static Age'_

* * *

**Chapter Five: Techie **

**Mai Taniyama** has just joined Facebook

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**Mai Taniyama **is now friends with **Ayako Matsuzaki, John Brown and 5 others**

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**Mai Taniyama **is making tea. Again. :(

-

**Naru Shibuya **likes this.

-

**View all 5 comments**

**Naru Shibuya **Stop complaining, Mai, it's childish.

**Mai Taniyama** Since when do you have facebook, Naru?

**Naru Shibuya **…

**Mai Taniyama **is this what you do in the office all day?

**Naru Shibuya **…Get back to work, Mai.

**-**

**Ayako Matsuzaki **is WTF!?

**Ayako Matsuzaki **took the **What Kind of Girl are You Quiz **and got the result:

**You are a Good Girl!**

You're a sweet girl that likes to make flower bracelets in your free time and write poetry. Lucky you, you haven't yet been corrupted by your peers.

1 minute ago · **Comment · Like · Take this Quiz ·**

**-**

**Houshou Takigawa, Mai Taniyama **and **John Brown **like this.

**View all 4 comments**

**Houshou Takigawa **hahahahahaha, knew it!

**John Brown **Congratulations Ayako :)

**Mai Taniyama **the world is ending, run for your lives, everyone!!!!!!

**Ayako Matsuzaki **ignore-ignore-ignore

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**Mai Taniyama **is now friends with **Lin Koujo **

**Mai Taniyama **_at 3:53 pm November 29_

Hi Lin!!!!

**Lin Koujo **_at 3:54 pm November 29_

…

**Mai Taniyama **_at 3:55 pm November 29_

(grumble) why'd you get facebook if you still aren't going to talk to me? :(

-

**What is your type of guy?**

1. What is most important to you?

[] Money

[x] Intelligence

[] Style (yummmm)

[] Individuality

2. What is your favorite color?

[] Purple

[] Pink

[] Green

[X] Blue

[] Silver

3. What would your perfect date be?

[X] A movie (because he is socially constipated and doesn't want to talk to you)

[] Walk in the park

[] Tour of a historic mansion (Urado)

[] Shopping at the local mall

4. What is the best facial feature for a guy?

[] Muscular forearms

[] Clear skin

[X] Good eyes

[] Soft lips (naughtynaughty xD)

5. What would you most like to read about?

[] Romantic romance

[] Mysterious mystery

[] Gory Horror

[X] Byronic Hero (blush)

-

**Get Quiz Result**

**-**

**Mai Taniyama **is (blush)

**Mai Taniyama **took the '**What is your type of guy?**' and got the result: '**Brooding Genius**'

Your type is:

**Brooding Genius!**

Your perfect guy is dark and intelligent, and loves you no matter what! He may be awkward at times, but you love him regardless.

3 minutes ago · **Comment · Like · Take this Quiz**

**-**

**Naru Shibuya, Ayako Matsuzaki **and** Houshou Takigawa **like this.

-

**View all 7 Comments**

**Mai Taniyama **NARU!!!! Don't be stupid and narcissistic. It's not....um...talking about you or anything...

**Naru Shibuya **I would never, Mai. -----if only sarcasm could be conveyed via internet-----

**Mai Taniyama **Dream on, dullard!

**Ayako Matsuzaki **It's love :D

**Mai Taniyama **o////o Ayako!

**Ayako Matsuzaki **You know what I'm talking about, don't pretend.

**Mai Taniyama **If only I knew how to de-friend... :(

-

**Ayako Matsuzaki **is noooooooooo D:

**Ayako Matsuzaki **took the '**What is your type of guy?**' quiz and got the result: '**Musician'**

Your type is:

**Musician!**

Your perfect guy is funny and immature at times, but loves you from the bottom of his heart!

2 minutes ago · **Comment · Like · Take this Quiz ·**

**-**

**Houshou Takigawa **and **Mai Taniyama **like this

**-**

**View all 5 Comments**

**Mai Taniyama **I know who Ayako likes ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha :D

**Ayako Matsuzaki **Shut the eff up, Mai, this isn't funny!

**Mai Taniyama **Surrreeee

**Ayako Matsuzaki **I have a de-friend button and I'm not afraid to use it!

**Houshou Takigawa **c'mon babe, you know we were meant to be ;)

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**Ayako Matsuzaki **has removed **Houshou Takigawa **from their friends list

-

**Houshou Takigawa **_4:35 pm November 29 _

Ayako-babe! Take me back! Babe! Babe! Babeeeeeeeee!

**Mai Taniyama **_4:36 pm November 29_

You do realize that since you aren't friends any more, she can't see that, right?

**Houshou Takigawa **_4:37 pm November 29_

Oh heul :( ---off to apologise---

-

**Houshou Takigawa **and** Ayako Matsuzaki **are now engaged!

-

**View all 3 comments**

**Mai Taniyama **You better not have gotten Ayako preggers, Takigawa.

**Houshou Takigawa **haha I wish ;)

**Ayako Matsuzaki **Who hacked my account? Cuz I'm going to kill whoever got me 'engaged' with that bastard -.-

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**Mai Taniyama **and **Naru Shibuya **are now dating

-

**Ayako Matsuzaki **is :)

* * *

**A/N: **Wow, it's been months...sorry guys! This isn't much of an original chapter, I adapted it from other's stories to work for Ghost Hunt. But it was still fun to puzzle through! It's been hard for me to write lately, and I haven't had much inspiration since I finished Onsen Revenge. Anyway, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be coming out, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one!

Golden List (thank you for your reviews everyone!): Kafira-chan, EmeraldStar-goddess, Flamegirl5500, miki230, Azamiko, TrueShiningStar, Angelic Kitsune, kAtiE-lUvs-mcr, Ayjah, Zacheria, FallenRaindrops, LunaxXmoongoddessXx, Kaydreams, Conejo Uzumaki, Conejo-sama, moonlightbutterflye

Please r-e-v-i-e-w! I may even update in a couple weeks if you do :D

SL


	6. The Eloquence of 'Umm'

**Disclaimer: **Ghost Hunt isn't mine.

* * *

**The Not So Idyllic Life of Mai Taniyama**

_Do you want to elope tonight  
Getting lost in the shadows  
All dressed up like a switchblade knife  
Let's hang in love from the gallows_

_Or we can take a walk around the lake  
There's a garden in the park there  
Under the stars next to the fireside  
Anywhere is better than here..._

_-_Foxboro Hotubs 'Mother Mary'

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5: The Eloquence of Umm  
**

Ayako tapped her blood-red fingernails against the counter and sighed dramatically. "I mean seriously, what's his deal?" she moaned, "Naru's so unpleasant to be around!"

"I know," Mai replied as she bustled around SPR's kitchen, setting out ingredients for yet another cup of tea. "But he's sick, so give him a break, okay?"

Naru rubbed his aching temples and winced as he heard Mai flail around in the kitchen before losing her balance and tumbling to the floor. He reached to his left for a tissue and sniffed miserably. He loathed the week before Christmas with a passion; he always managed to catch a cold.

Mai stubbed her toe just as she was pulling open Naru's door. "Shiiiiiiiii-" she groaned loudly. She looked up at her not-so-amused employer and revised her earlier statement, "-itake mushrooms are good for sick people! I'll go get you some!" She set her tray down on top of Naru's files and dashed from the room.

Sighing, Naru attempted to inch his files out from under the tray without upsetting his tea. Mai appeared seconds later holding a mushroom. "Here you go!" She practically threw the unfortunate food at him before retreating from the room.

"I know what you mean, though," she skidded to a stop before Ayako, who stood on her tiptoes on the arm of a couch in the lounge as she attempted to place the star on top of the Christmas tree Mai had dragged into the office the day before. "Naru can be a bit of a bitch."

Naru stuck his head out of his office. "Would you like to say that to my face, Mai?"

Mai blushed, "You seem to be having hearing issues, Naru," she giggled. "Maybe all that snot is blocking up your synapses!"

"Cute." Naru deadpanned before slamming his office door shut.

"What?" Mai feigned innocence. "It's true!"

---

The next day, Naru still wasn't feeling any better. He wandered around the office aimlessly, too sick to do work, but not sick enough to bother going home.

"Naru," Mai tried again, "just go home and get some sleep!"

The black haired teen glared at her and she amended her statement. "You'll get better and then be able to work even harder, right?"

"Mai," Naru began in a rather menacing voice. "Get. Me. My. Tea."

"Okay, okay," she muttered under her breath before turning on her heel and marching angrily into the kitchen. He didn't even say please!

She had prepared him a cup of tea minutes earlier, but all she wanted to do was pour it down his stupid, white collar. Mai wondered briefly whether or not she could feign tripping and actually splash it all over him. The tea had been sitting still for a bit, and wasn't scalding hot.

Mai stomped from the kitchen, weapon (ahem --- tea) in hand. She strode over to Naru and promptly tripped over her own feet. _Oh well_… she decided as she went down, watching the tea splash all over Naru's pristine shirt, _I suppose I was going to do this anyway._

Unfortunately for Mai, she overcompensated as she attempted to right herself and careened right into Naru, lips landing solidly on his. She blushed madly and stumbled backwards, looking up into Naru's seemingly unaffected face. But was that a hint of pink she saw creeping up his cheeks?

She looked up at the serendipitously placed mistletoe that Ayako had hung the day before, and back down at Naru.

"Umm…" she commented intelligently. "A kiss a day keeps the doctor away?" She bolted, leaving Naru alone to realize that he no longer felt an overwhelming need to blow his nose.

* * *

**A/N: **Semi-quick update! Yay me :) I hope you all liked this mini-chapter. Seeing as this is a collection of partially related drabbles, some will be longer and others shorter. Obviously, this is the latter.

Golden List: Flamegirl5500, miki230, Azamiko, moonlightbutterflye, lil whit, FallenRaindrops, Ms Bat, Ayjah, Angelic Kitsune, frowninggivesyouwrinkles, no one, EmeraldStar-goddess, christal, KayKit, Conejo-sama, LunaxXmoongoddessXx

This chapter is dedicated to **Azamiko**, who's review was both completely correct, and the funniest thing of my life :D

~SL


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